The Medical Center Detectives

Good morning. 

Today, I want to shine a light on the faculty who lead our research studies – principal investigators.  

A principal investigator is responsible for managing nearly all aspects of a research project, from concept to funding request to staffing to investigation to publishing results and everything in between. PIs are the lifeblood of any successful research enterprise, and we are blessed with a great group of scientists who serve this very important role.

Even before a study or clinical trial begins, there is a lot of work a PI must do to secure necessary funds and then set up the resources to conduct research. These administrative duties are what set PIs apart. Not everyone wants to take on the mountain of paperwork or compliance hoops – and in the current climate related to federal research funding, I offer an extra commendation to those who take on this vital role. 

Balancing scientific innovation with leadership and sustainability makes the PI role both demanding and indispensable to the progress of research at the Medical Center. 

Among our many excellent, successful researchers who have served or are serving as a principal investigator, I want to spotlight a few whose contributions are notable: 

• Cohort Studies: Dr. Tom Mosley, Robbie and Dudley Hughes Distinguished MIND Center Chair 
  • Since 2003, Mosley has led the Jackson Field Center for the national Atherosclerosis Rick in Communities Study, ARIC for short, which is one of the world’s largest, most significant and longest-running population studies of cardiovascular disease risk factors. The MIND Center-based participants are the largest cohort of African American participants in the study. Also, Mosley is credited with serving as PI for more than 50 awards at UMMC. 
• Cancer Trials: Dr. Clark Henegan, associate professor of medicine 
  • In addition to serving as a highly regarded medical hematologist/oncologist, Henegan has helped lead the creation and advancement of a high-functioning cancer clinical trial program. Offering advanced and comprehensive cancer-based clinical trials – including external funding support – to Mississippians and patients from other states is crucial in our efforts to obtain National Cancer Institute designation. Through his effort and others, we’ve experienced a nice uptick in cancer-related trials, with 68 active in the last quarter alone. 
• Translational Research: Dr. Babbette LaMarca, chair of pharmacology and toxicology, and Dr. Denise Cornelius, associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology 
  • These women are leaders of a new $7.4M-funded long-term study that looks at the role of certain inflammatory factors during pregnancy in the onset and severity of preeclampsia. They, and other researchers who excel in bridging basic science with clinical care, are essential to translating research to the bedside or in new drug discoveries. 
• Population Health: Dr. Abigail Gamble, associate professor of preventive medicine 
  • Dr. Gamble has made a big impact on population health research at UMMC in a short time – including securing almost $4M in extramural funding. Her research focuses on Mississippians with the greatest negative health impacts related to environmental, social, economic and other factors. Population research leads to better interventions that improve community and individual health.  
• Behavioral Health: Dr. Dustin Sarver, associate professor of psychiatry
  • Dr. Sarver is one of our most accomplished clinical researchers, mostly focused on behavior-related issues. Mississippi families who are receiving care for infant and early childhood neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders likely do so thanks in some part to his work and research, which has been federally funded since 2017.